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A smile spread over me when I woke, the feel of Twilight nuzzling against my chest in her sleep like the previous morning made it so very tempting to drift away again, despite my now being well awake and alert. I felt a small amount of exasperation at being unable to do any real exercise as I let time pass by, watching the sky brighten in the early dawn.

Instead of moving, I relished the soft and warm fuzzy purple body curled against me. There was a side benefit of being unable to put in a morning workout, considering it gave me a wonderful excuse to stay right where I was. Nosing into Twilight's mane and inhaling her unique scent that somehow reminded me of lightning and learning, or maybe ozone and old books, I was content to enjoy her presence until she roused.

Twilight made a soft mumble in her sleep as she squirmed just a little closer. As I still had my right arm wrapped around her back, I helped her efforts as I heard her make what I thought sounded like some sort of cooing noise in her contentment. It boggled me how cute she was in her sleep.

Putting the quietness of the morning to use, I thought about what had happened before we got home early yesterday evening. Goosebumps rose along with a swelling in my heart as I recalled the look on her face when I stumbled into telling her I had fallen for her without even realizing it at first. And soon after, we shared the first saying of the most magic-filled and powerful simple three words that can be said. I love you.

So I continued to lay in bed in silence, smiling as I enjoyed her presence and warmth as time ticked by in the wait for her to wake up. In a way, it felt even more comforting than the previous morning, to which I attributed to deeper connections brought on from our admission. I lost myself as I focused on the sound of her breathing, each inhale and exhale, the gentle tickle of her breath over my skin.

The sun was well above the horizon by the time Twilight began to stir against me with little wiggling stretches and nuzzling into my chest as though searching for a way to get even closer, already as close as she could be. Her hind legs were wrapped around my leg, a wing tucked across my body. The warmth of her fur was felt the full length of my side.

Twilight let out a large yawn before a slow turn of her head with her chin still on my chest let her look at me, wearing a sleepy expression that transitioned to pleased contentment.

After we stared at each other for a minute, I hummed, "Good morning, my lovely Twilight."

She gave me a lazy smile as a faint glint came to her eyes, "Good morning. Is there a reason I'm awake already?"

Quirking a brow at her with a smirk, "Hey, you woke yourself up. Am I to keep you under sleep enchantments or something until you've had your fill of using me for a pillow?"

Twilight giggled, "Mmm...that sounds like a wonderful idea... Of course, I might sleep forever like this if I had the choice. I'm really starting to enjoy waking up like this, but yes, you did wake me. I felt you breathing and heard your heart beating in your chest," she teased, moving her face a little closer with a mischievous grin, "And I demand compensation for this terrible situation of waking me up before I wished to. I really didn't want to stop in the middle of that dream I was having..."

The husky way she mentioned her dream made me tingle a little as she moved just enough to meet my lips with her own for a quiet, yet intense kiss. Bringing my hand to the back of her head, I let my fingers dig into her mane again as our tongues met. The kiss was slow and strong, leaving both of us to grow very awake before she drew back with a satisfied smile and a lick of her lips.

"Ahh...now that I've had what might be my new favorite coffee, I'll take my compensation by way of a little punishment for you," Twilight said in a playful tone, bringing her lips under my chin as she began to make delicate nibbles against my throat, her touch leaving a slight tingle on my skin.

It wasn't long before she began adding her tongue into it, a slow transition from little licks into dragging it around my neck and back again until she could feel me start to twitch from her attentions. She wore a rather smug look when she drew back again, leaving me a bit frustrated and quite entertained as I was left to calm myself back down, wearing an annoyed yet playful smirk.

"My dear Twilight, am I to endure such teasing the entire time we feel like waiting until the day we find ourselves ready for that singular restraint to be over?"

Twilight grinned wider with a faint shiver, her eyes narrowing as she came closer again, her voice husky and teasing, "Mmmmaybe... Should I stop? Even restrict my attentions to chaste hugs and no more?"

A small laugh bubbled up, "Now, I didn't say that. I just figured you should know that if this keeps up, you will reduce me to a quivering lump of male and I am already at your mercy. Must you torment me so? Or are you attempting to allude towards a desire for wing joint massaging, hmm?"

At the shiver that ran through her body and her look of surprise when I mentioned it was priceless, leaving me with a suspicion it was a more powerful erogenous zone than I already thought and she enjoyed it more than it appeared. She gave me an exaggerated pout and I wasn't sure if it was more asking for it again or begging me not to, perhaps both. Either way, I had my answer in short order as I made a deliberate trace of fingertips down her back to drift up and down her spine, threatening to move over her wings. It was amusing to see her tremble just from that much.

"Nnf, you better not, Vojin. I don't think I could take that for very long. I didn't realize how sensitive my wing joints were until you touched them like that yesterday. Those fingers are like some kind of pleasure spell or something there," she said with a faux stern glare that soon melted into a pleading look that didn't hide the hunger within.

Nudging her head back to me, our lips met for another kiss before I answered, "I guess that just means once the time is right for us, you get to have the most relaxed wings in Equestria..."

A shudder ran through her body with a soft groan as she gave me a half-lidded look, "I'm going to hold you to that, Vojin."

The fiery look she wore left me with a grin I couldn't stop to save my life. The second morning was a little easier to manage.

***

We were well into magic studies after breakfast as Spike went around attending his chores. I'd managed to get a handle on levitating water rather well, despite the first couple of attempts causing a bit of a splash, so to speak. I found it curious, how solid objects required a different focus from liquids and something like sand fell in the middle somewhere. It was so subtle, but still necessary to be aware of, and it gave me more appreciation for the challenges of learning unicorn magic as I progressed.

"Now that you've managed levitation up to water manipulation, would you like to try a proper water spell?" Twilight asked as she flipped through the book of basic spells we were working from, finding the page she was after.

Rubbing my chin, I was of course curious what it would be like, "I'm game."

"It's very similar to levitating water, which is one of the reasons it makes for an excellent transition point into water spells. As basic as it is, it is limited to controlling the shape of the water, along with a little control over temperature. Few standard water spells have the capacity for freezing it. We'll get into why after we start working with ice-based spells," Twilight said, wearing a wide smile as she helped me learn.

She gave me some descriptions of the spell mechanics, having enough foundation to understand things easier. I'd come to realize much of it was not unlike mathematical processes at their core and how it helped a caster know how to shift their focus. I nodded when she was done, now having a reasonable grasp of it as I turned to the small bowl of water on the table in the main room, extending a hand towards it.

"Here goes...," I said as my hands were once again covered in the billowing white aura we'd come to know as my natural magic coloration.

Twilight told me it was related to a pony's coat or mane colors most of the time, with some exceptions mixing them, but all efforts to define the connection had remained unsuccessful and it was accepted due to evidence alone. Magic as a whole had a few things like that. Things that no regular logic had been able to define the reason why it was the way it was. Attempts to answer such questions always suffered fundamental contradictions somewhere. Scholars kept trying to figure it out anyway.

As I attempted to focus as Twilight instructed, I first tried to direct the water into a small pillar. With minimal effort, I began causing distortions in the surface and with careful changes in focus, the water rose up according to my direction. From there, I reshaped it between simple forms, seeing the water flow between shapes. Apart from occasional distortions, it was easy enough and I let the water sink back into the bowl.

"I'm still amazed you're learning this fast, Vojin. From what I saw in the Earth book you showed me yesterday, the more fundamental aspects of spells aren't close persay, but they aren't as far off as I expected. To a certain extent, it could even be viewed as different intended approaches and applications. Once you have more spells covered, I think I'd like to try a few of the more subtle ones you brought with you," Twilight commented before giving me a wink, raising the water out of the bowl and causing it to disappear in a hefty burst of steam that blasted upwards as if traveling through a large pipe.

I just gave her a smirk, "Showoff."

She flashed me a cheeky smile as she organized the books on the table a little before looking at me, "Well, it's getting near lunchtime. Do you think we should go check on Pinkie's progress? I know she left a note telling us to arrive in town about one o'clock, but we'll be passing through town anyway to get to Sweet Apple Acres for the meetup with AJ."

Giving her a roll of my eyes at her demeanor, rather glad she seemed to feel an endless playfulness around me, "You know, I'm really curious what she's planning, but I have this funny feeling telling me we aren't going to find out even if we try. Still, won't hurt to keep our eyes open while we walk through town. And before you even say it, I feel pretty good about making the walk. I feel better than yesterday so I shouldn't need to stop if we're going straight there."

Once we were ready, we gave Spike a goodbye and headed off to our lunchtime visit with Applejack.

To our surprise, it wasn't long before we found ourselves refused passage down a road by a smiling pony or two at every single street through the middle of town. Instead, we were directed along a circuitous path that skirted around what seemed to be some sort of exclusion zone.

As we left yet another smiling pony telling us we'd just have to go around, I questioned Twilight, "Um, you recall Pinkie blocking off this much space for one of her parties before? Or doing this much to keep the guests of honor in the dark?"

Twilight shook her head, looking a bit confused herself, "No, she hasn't done anything quite like this before. Her goof off with Cheese Sandwich took up almost as much space, but that was a party battle. I think we're stuck with the long way around."

We had reached the other side of Ponyville by the time I needed to stop for a rest. It was frustrating to accept, but I had promised Twilight I would let her know at a reasonable level of exhaustion.

She'd extracted the promise just after breakfast while Spike was out on an errand, using a mix of interesting torture and utter bribery. I was still having a hard time believing how imaginative she could be. She got me so worked up with her levitation tricks that I was flopped against the couch for over a minute before I trusted my legs again. The way she'd moved about, performing a sensual dance as she teased with her wings as a cover, left me struggling to form words.

Twilight blushed so much afterward as she confessed she had always wanted to try that, having read a book on it a while ago and went so far as to make up a small routine for herself in hopes of getting to try it when she met a stallion she could get close to. When she'd asked if I enjoyed it, I dragged her onto the couch on her back against one arm and gave her a heated kiss, knowing she had no doubt regarding my opinion as I laid against her. It was another moment of almost giving in. The things we'd be up to when things felt right...

We stretched out on a small grassy hill under a shady tree not far from AJ's farm, leaning up against each other, my arm around her as I got the annoying yet necessary rest I needed. Motion in the sky caught her attention and she looked up, spotting Rainbow Dash and some of the weather pegasi flying around.

While it was how things worked here, I was expecting to find it a strange sight for a while. Witnessing pegasi busting clouds or pushing them around was weird to me. As we sat, Twilight commented it was another thing in magic that simply was. How pegasi generated cloud manipulating magic was still not explained in full, nor if the natural atmospheric magic was involved. From what little I could tell from the ground, the clouds here appeared a little more dense around the edges, less wispy.

As we relaxed, we watching Rainbow leading her weather patrol around the sky for a time. Some clouds were collected and moved, while others were just given a good kick and dispersed.

I wasn't disappointed by Rainbow's tendency to show off, either. With her doing most of the cloud busting, she exercised a bit of style as she worked. It wasn't extravagant like intentional trick flying, but it had it's own interest.

When the weather patrol had completed cleanup of one section of the sky and headed for the next, they happened to fly not far from where Twilight and I were sitting. Rainbow saw us and waved before tapping a hoof against the ankle of her other foreleg, that ponies had that common gesture of time concerns was left for another time, letting us know she lacked the time to fly down for a hello, just pausing long enough to let us know she saw us before darting off after her team.

By then I was feeling ready for the rest of the walk, sneaking a quick kiss with Twilight before we got back on the dirt road to do some more walking. The quietness surrounding us was so relieving to me. It was free of any constant, droning sounds overlaying everything. No highways carrying traffic or jets in the sky. No distant sirens or construction. Just quiet all around. The gentle stirring of leaves and whispering wind through branches and grass was almost all that could be heard aside from the light crunch of our steps as we walked down the dirt road. It all added a certain extra calmness to the peaceful atmosphere that surrounded us on our way to the farm.

It wasn't long before we were past the front gate and approaching the farmhouse. We spotted Applejack heading towards it from another direction and she spotted us in short order, breaking into a trot as she came over to us.

"howdy Twilight! Howdy Vojin! Good ta see ya made it! Still hard ta believe we planned ta have lunch here on the farm the day before ya were in the hospital, Twi. An' before Ah forget, Pinkie made me promise not ta feed ya too much on account of the big party she's gettin' ready fer ya. If Ah had ta guess, she's wantin' ya ta have plenty of space for all them treats she'll have lined up," Applejack said as we walked towards the farmhouse, adjusting her had a bit as we went.

"I don't know what Pinkie's planning this time, but that's a new request. I can't imagine what she has set up that she wants us hungry too. I guess we'll just have some light snacks?" Twiligh replied.

"Yup! Just a couple of apple treats and some good ol' chattin' between friends. Ah think Pinkie was wantin' y'all headin' inta town bout one, in case she somehow ain't had a chance ta tell ya already," Applejack added as she held open the farmhouse door for us as we walked in.

We settled in at the kitchen table and Applejack set out a few different apple treats and some cold apple juice. I'd already gotten to try some of the apples of Sweet Apple Acres and to my pleasant surprise, they were bursting with a distinct flavor that was everything an apple should be and so much better than any I'd ever had on Earth. The apple treats we now enjoyed benefitted from the quality of the apples, almost resonating with flavors that still managed to never become too much.

"I don't suppose you could give us any clues on what Pinkie is planning, could you? Twilight and I had to take the long way around town on our way here. Every street we passed that could lead to the middle of town was closed off and smiling ponies kept blocking our way, saying we had to wait until the party was ready before we'd be allowed in," I questioned Applejack, curious over what Pinkie was up to.

Applejack shook her head and winked at us with a smile, "Sorry pardner, but Ah'm sworn ta secrecy on this one. The two of ya will just hafta wait."

"Pinkie won't let you tell us anything about what she has planned at all?" Twilight gave her friend a bemused and somewhat worried look.

"That's what Ah said, Twi. Well, Ah can tell y'all this much. Ya have no idea how big this one's gonna be," Applejack noted with a grin.

Twilight and I looked at each other, wondering what that could mean. As far as I could tell, Twilight had never seen a number of things ahead of a Pinkie party like this before. That in itself had me worrying a little in turn, but as Pinkie was doing it with the goal of making us happy, even if she was going over the top, we were going to enjoy it. It didn't help the nagging curiosity any, however.

"You know, I had hoped to meet your family, Applejack. I'm guessing they're in town?"

"Yup. They're all over at the town square workin' on the preparations. Somethin' about Pinkie needin' Big Mac's strength for a fancy setup that Ah guess has some weight to it. Granny and Applebloom are helpin' with the setup of the buffet...er, maybe Ah better not answer no more questions about it. Gave a Pinkie Promise an' Ah don't wanna bend or break one again," Applejack said with a nervous look as she caught herself.

Raising a brow at her, I gave her a small smirk, "I assume you're referring to your rodeo runaway experience a while back?"

Applejack blinked in surprise, looking at me in bewilderment before she caught herself again and shook her head, "Forgot ya know a lot of stuff bout us already. Ah ain't sure Ah'll ever quite get used to ya catchin' things like that. An' yeah, that's right. It was mighty silly of me ta run off like Ah did. Sure am glad Ah have friends willin' ta travel half of Equestra ta help me quit bein' such a foal bout somethin' like they did."

I saw Twilight give her an amused smile before looking at me, "Alright, it's about time for us to start heading back towards Ponyville. It's probably going to be a little after one by the time we get there. It was great to chat, AJ. We have to plan lunch again soon. I guess we'll see you at the party later this afternoon?"

Applejack gave her a nod and a grin, "Ya sure will! Ah still gotta run another wagonload of food inta town anyway, so maybe I'll catch up to ya on the way."

Twilight and I finished our goodbyes and started heading back to Ponyville not long after that, full of curiosity of what was waiting for us when we got back.

However, we were only on the road for a minute or two past the front gate when we heard wings approaching behind us, then hooves landing and prompting us to turn around to a sight we weren't expecting.

Standing at attention before us was a pair of Royal Guard pegasi and a chariot, their golden armor and details of the chariot glinting in the sun. I looked at Twilight in hopes she knew what was going on, only to be greeted by her own look of confusion.

One of the guards spoke in a gruff voice, "Princess Twilight Sparkle, yourself and Mister Vojin Barloc Drayce have been requested to attend the Royal Sisters for an urgent matter. We are to escort the two of you directly to them. Please board the chariot so we may depart at once."

There was a pause, then Twilight gave me a small shrug as she began to look worried, "I don't know what's going on, but this must be important. I just hope nothing bad happened. Come on, Vojin. At least you won't need to walk."

I answered with a nod, quite at a loss over whatever was going on. We were quick to board the chariot and the guards let us get settled before taking off with a surprising smoothness. While I did anyway, I didn't think I would have needed to even keep a hand on the edge of the chariot apart from the wind, settled on one knee beside Twilight to reduce buffeting. All things considered, this at least afforded me some time to enjoy a bit of flight as I remembered all the times I'd enjoyed flying around ultralight aircraft.

The far better speed of flying brought us to Ponyville much faster. To our surprise, the center of town was full of vibrant decorations. Streamers and ribbons of various colors were strung between buildings in multiple directions. Many of which were blue or gold.

As we got closer, I could make out what appeared to be banners with some sort of insignia emblazoned across their surface. The first thing that came to mind that I could compare it with from Earth was major celebrations or a royal hosting an event in times of old. A glance at Twilight made me think she recognized something about it all, if her surprised look and hoof over her mouth were anything to to go on.

To our surprise, rather than going in to land somewhere right away, the guards were taking a slow turn and circling the center of town at altitude for a minute or two. When they began to descend, I figured they received some kind of signal or something.

As we neared the ground, I saw we were heading for an obvious landing spot at the end of what looked to be a center aisle through the large crowd of cheering ponies that spread beyond the town square, and if I had to guess, numbered more than the population of Ponyville. A fancy looking red rug edged in gold designs ran the length of the aisle and up the front of what I was guessing was the 'fancy setup' that Applejack had mentioned.

Standing side by side at the top of the stage were none other than Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, their manes and tails billowing with their wings spread wide. It was hard to say at a distance, but I would have sworn they were smiling at Twilight and I.

Our transportation brought us to a soft landing right where expected and trumpets began to blare as we touched down. Leaning close to Twilight so she could hear me better over the din surrounding us, "Uh...Twilight, do you have any idea what's going on?"

"I don't know! I forgot that Pinkie wanted me to invite the Princesses, so I don't even know why they're here or why we seem to be the center of attention in all this! It looks a lot like the ceremonies for service to Equestria or the Princesses themselves!" Twilight said with a nervous look, glancing around but most of her focus was the Princesses standing on top of the stage.

Before we had time to do much wondering, we heard a cough behind us and turned to find an earth pony Guard looking up at us, his voice a deep rumble as he spoke, "Princess Twilight Sparkle. Mister Vojin Barloc Drayce. Please follow me and I will escort you to stand before their highnesses, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna."

Twilight and I shared a meaningful look, glad we were at least in this together as we stepped off the chariot to follow the stallion towards the stage.

As we walked, the crowd seemed to cheer even more. I noticed what had to be reporters and photographers watching us with some intensity as I scanned our surroundings. It appeared we would have to wait things out before we learned what all the fuss was about as we followed the stallion leading us.

The steps leading to the top of the stage loomed larger as I held my tension in check. My old nervousness around large crowds was trying to make a comeback with a vengeance and stressing me out. A small nudge on my right from Twilight gave me a bit of needed reassurance and I glanced at her with a private smile, brushing my fingers across her mane a little, trying to be discreet as I didn't know what any of the expectations were for the situation.

Once at the top of the stage, we followed the lead of our escort and stopped a short distance away from the Princesses. The stallion escorting us gave them a bow before speaking in a loud, clear voice that seemed to boom out from the stage, "Princess Celestia. Princess Luna. Your highnesses, I present to you Princess Twilight Sparkle, and her savior, Vojin Barloc Drayce."

Celestia made a regal incline of her head in response and the stallion gave a short bow before moving off to the side of the stage. Somehow, in this setting, her billowing mane and tail seemed even more impressive as she looked at the two of us with a twinkle of amusement in her eyes alongside a comforting smile. Her gaze swept across the crowd around us and they began to quiet, her voice seemed louder than expected, though she was not shouting, "Fillies and Gentlecolts! Citizens of Equestria! In her moment of distress, Princess Twilight Sparkle was most fortunate to find rescue by the one that now stands before my sister and I. The events of which we have thus shared of two days ago, when she found herself in imminent danger and great risk of harm, could have taken far graver a path.

"As we have said, when Princess Twilight Sparkle experienced a magical event that left her unable to fly whilst high in the air, she was snatched from the jaws of tragedy by the one that stands before us and only by the risking of his own life that he might protect her from harm. Although he succeeded in his efforts, catching her in the air as she plummeted towards the unforgiving land below, thus preventing her suffering severe injury, it was at great cost to himself. Even then, after shielding her in so valiant an effort and enduring numerous severe injuries in her stead, he remained focused upon Princess Twilight Sparkle's well-being before his own, even ignoring his own wounds to escort her personally to the ambulance when it arrived."

Luna took over from there, speaking in a similar manner that felt just a little over the top, "I know not how it is that a living myth has come to walk amongst us, able to put himself in harm's way in a time he was so needed to come to the aid of a Princess of Equestria. A creature of myth and legend though he may be, his selfless actions stand as proof of his honor and courage. It is this act of selfless heroism for our fellow Princess in her time of need that I and my sister, Princess Celestia, find him deserving of commendation!"

All I could do was stare at the Princesses as embarrassment settled over me even as I tried to straighten up a bit more. I had done what felt necessary, nothing more, and I expected the Princesses knew that on some level. Lacking a chance to get immediate answers for all the excessive pomp and circumstance over my breaking Twilight's fall, I figured they had some sort of reason behind it.

I would just have to put up with it for now. They did save my life from the magic flux, after all. I didn't really have any other options that made any sense available. So long as it wasn't some long-winded thing, the tension shouldn't exhaust me in my less-than-healthy state. It would be just fantastic if I passed out before I left.

Celestia looked at me wearing a regal mask, though I could swear there was amusement twinkling in her eyes, her voice ringing out over the crowd again, "Vojin Barloc Drayce. My friend. Come before my sister and I and kneel."

Unable to help the nervous swallow, I managed to take calm steps forward and lower myself onto my knees, my right hand settling on my thigh while my left flattened against my abdomen, my left arm still in the sling for at least a few more days, depending on what the doctor said at tomorrow's followup.

Both Princesses were looking at me with a twinkle in their eyes, only furthering my thought that this apparent award ceremony was more than just what it appeared. Whatever they were planning, I could only speculate.

Celestia looked to one side and gave a short nod, prompting another Guard, a unicorn, to come forward levitating a fancy wooden display box. Once Celestia took over the levitation, he gave her a small bow and retreated to his former position.

Upon opening the box, I saw it contained a golden medal and I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes in exasperation as I looked it over. It was shaped like a kite shield with a pony's head across the front, a small ruby for an eye, hung from a ribbon of blue and gold. The engraving looked like it took plenty of skill and I wondered for a moment how it was made.

When I met her eye and arched a brow, she seemed to struggle with keeping a straight face for a moment. Maybe I was closer to the mark than I thought in the idea that this was more than it seemed.

As the medal was held up for display to the crowd, she took a moment while close to whisper to me, sounding a lot like she was rather amused at everything around her, "I'll explain the reason for all this after we're done here. Just some long standing traditions being put to use."

Feeling a bit of humor at getting some confirmation of my suspicions, I gave her a faint nod in understanding and tried to restrain the little lopsided smirk that appeared.

She looked out over the crowd again before turning her official gaze upon me, "For your act of service to Equestria, coming to the aid of a Princess, I present you with this commendation. May the Sign of the Protector always remain at the center of your actions, as it was when you came to her aid."

Celestia then levitated the medal from the display box, setting it around my neck before she and Luna touched their horns to the top of my head in unison. She whispered in a brief seconds she had, "Just rise, turn around and stand proudly before the crowd. You'll be escorted back down the aisle to a carriage soon after."

I let out a quiet, exasperated sigh as I whispered back before they slipped away again, "This all feels like a bit much, you know."

Once they pulled back again, I did as instructed, rising to my feet before turning around and standing tall, able to feel exhaustion setting in, much to my frustration. The tension of being on a stage was not at all restful.

Finding it odd that the crowd was so quiet as I stood there for a second, it made sense that they were waiting as Celestia spoke up a moment later, a bit more flair in her voice this time, "As is so common when we present this particular commendation, we must now release him once again to attend his recovery. In gratitude for his aid in her time of need, Princess Twilight Sparkle will stay beside him and ensure he makes a swift return to good health... My little ponies, may this medal always represent his inner heart! Should you see him in his travels, greet him with a smile and open friendship! Now please, share with him your gratitude and joy!"

The crowd burst into loud cheers and stomping applause. Moments later, the same stallion that escorted us up here motioned for Twilight and I to follow him again. Twilight fell in next to me as we headed back down the steps and along the aisle. The crowd's cheers continued unabated as we made our way past..

I felt no small amount of gratitude at seeing the enclosed carriage waiting for us where the chariot had been before. The stallion led us up to the door and stood to one side, a Guard unicorn opened the door for us and we slipped inside. The door closed as we sat down, cutting off a lot of the noise, and the carriage began to move soon after.

Free of needing to put on a show, I let myself sag against Twilight, leaning my head against hers as I closed my eyes.

I felt her drape a wing around my back as she let out a breath, cuddling me a little closer, "I take it being on stage and keeping up a strong appearance was a bit draining on you. Are you ok? You look a little pale."

Taking a slow, steadying breath, I nodded, "I'll be fine in a minute. I really don't like crowds as it is, but recovering like I am and trying to hide it was exhausting. With how I feel right now, I'm a little tempted to let you use another healing spell. I do say just a little though, so don't even ask. You already promised you wouldn't."

Twilight chewed on her bottom lip for a second before she sighed, "I know. I still would though, if you would let me. At least your part in the ceremony doesn't take very long. Did Celestia say anything to you at all?"

"Still not changing my mind. She did whisper something about explaining later. I'm seriously wondering how much of all this was set up by Pinkie, at this point. And really, I don't need some silly medal for catching you. That you are willing to love me is all I ever need in return...," I said before giving her a gentle nuzzle and a smile.

She gave a soft giggle as she returned it, a faint blush on her cheeks, "Well, I don't know yet. Pinkie has pulled off some very unexpected things on occasion, including bigger scale events, so I actually wouldn't put even something like this past her. We'll just have to wait and see for now."

We snuggled close and didn't feel much need for words, paying no attention to how much time passed in the carriage as we enjoyed our temporary seclusion. I was just leaning back with Twilight held to my chest, lost in each others eyes with noses touching and sensing each other through our link when we were startled out of our reverie by a knock on the carriage door.

It was followed by what sounded like the typical gruff voice of a Royal Guard, "Princess Twilight. Mister Vojin. The Royal Sisters would like to speak with you in the town hall."

Twilight and I shared a brief nuzzle and a smile before I moved to open the door, "Thank you, sir."

With the door opened, I saw we had stopped in front of the town hall as the guard gave me a curt nod, "You will find their highnesses in the main room. Please do not keep them waiting."

After stepping out, I turned to assist Twilight as she left the carriage herself, earning a special little smile for the effort, and we headed into the building as the carriage departed.

Passing the doors, I noticed there were a couple Royal Guard present, but otherwise it was empty save for the Princesses. They gave us smiles as we walked over to them.

"There you two are. I do hope the ceremony was not too overwhelming. It might have gone unnoticed by those in the crowd, but I could not help noticing you seemed to exert some effort in maintaining your poise, Vojin. Thankfully, much of the ceremony is attended before the recipient arrives and the time you were needed only brief. As most given such honors are still recovering from injuries, it was designed to be short. In most circumstances, we wait a bit longer, but your unique circumstances made it prudent to act sooner," Celestia said with a pleasant smile as she welcomed a hug from Twilight.

"I must admit it was quite a surprise, your highness. Both Twilight and myself were taken aback when as we came in to land in such a way. A flying chariot wasn't exactly something we were expecting as we left Sweet Apple Acres on our way back to town, which was a surprise in itself. Everything that just happened was, well, a lot to take in. And yes, my present health meant I was quickly growing weary and quite thankful when we escaped into the carriage," I replied, expecting to hear some of what it was all really for.

Celestia let out a soft tinkling laugh, "I am glad you were not overly drained by the experience, but enough of that. Vojin, I would like to officially introduce you to my sister, Princess Luna. While she has not had the opportunity to greet you until now, she spent just as much time at the hospital with the two of you during the flux as I did. She is already aware of all you have shared with me. She has been eager to finally meet you and has been quite interested in your circumstances since your awakening."

Luna stepped forward and raised a hoof in what I thought was a pleasant, yet informal greeting as she smiled, "It is an honor to at last meet with you in proper fashion, Vojin Barloc Drayce."

Flashing her a lopsided smirk that caused her to arch a brow at me, I did something I always fantasized I would do if I met Luna face to face. Never expected I would get to live it out.

I watched her face as I dropped to one knee before her as I caught her hoof in one hand, placing a light kiss upon it before looking up at her again, "Beautiful Lady Luna, it is a special treat for me to greet you this day. Back on my own world, though I am no astronomer, I always took pleasure in the night sky as one of the most awe-inspiring sights a person could bear witness to. For all that one might endure in life, the night sky was always a grand reminder that there is far more to life than we might encounter as individuals in our travels and it can always be relied upon to bring peace to those needing inspiration. Though by circumstances and time I have not yet had much opportunity to take in the fruits of your labors in the Equestrian night sky, I am looking forward to it. I am sure I will find much enjoyment in it here, as I had on Earth."

She wore a look of shock as a faint blush began to grow on her features. Her expression made a slow shift as she took in my words, going from shock to wonder, then gained a look of elation before throwing her forelegs around me and pulling me tight to her chest. While she had grabbed me around the middle, rather than around the shoulders, as much as she was squeezing me tight, there was some discomfort in my shoulder and ribs. Still, if things were even halfway like it seemed before, she did not receive much appreciation for her devoted efforts in looking after the night and I could deal with discomfort so she could enjoy the hug however she needed it, wearing only a quiet smile. Faint though they were, the little tremors that ran through her suggested how much of an impact it had made on her.

After a good long hug, she released me with a tiny sniffle I only heard because she was so close, giving me a bright smile and sounding like her voice was tight with feeling, "Mister Vojin, I...I cannot tell you just how grateful I am to hear your words. The duty of guarding the night remains something I devote myself to tirelessly, and it is oft a lonely task that goes unnoticed. Though I know my work is appreciated, to receive such words, from a traveller from another world at that, like you have given me was almost more than I could bear. You have my deepest gratitude."

"Lady Luna, I am just happy I could give you a smile with an honest statement. I also hope your sister will not mind the more preferential greeting," I returned, sparing a glance at Celestia and noticing a glimmer of amusement in her eyes.

For her part, Luna scoffed at the idea and threw a smirk at her sister, "Nonsense! If my sister finds herself jealous that you have greeted me so much better than she, it is just her tough luck!"

Celestia let out a soft giggle, smiling, "Oh please, Luna. You know I'm happy for you. While I might normally be tempted to tease, it can wait for another time. And thank you, Vojin. Though Luna does not admit to it often, I know how much she yearns for the precious few words of appreciation she receives. It does not happen frequently enough." She nuzzled her sister with a gentle touch as Luna made a weak huff.

I gave them a smile as I stood back up, "I only said the truth. On Earth, it was always calming to look up at a clear night sky and just observe as troubles slipped away for a short time. Reminds me of how big life is and how small most problems are. It really is one of the most beautiful natural wonders one can see anywhere. And Lady Luna, please just call me Vojin."

Luna eyed me with a sly smile before glancing at Twilight, laughter in her voice, "Twilight Sparkle, do take care of your budding relationship with him. He has me most tempted to spend more time with him that I might learn more about him myself."

That just made me blink at Luna, not quite sure how to respond to that. Twilight had her own response though, rearing up on her hind legs to embrace me and nuzzling my cheek as she flashed Luna a smirk, "Even though we've just gotten started, I can tell you he's all mine, Luna. And I don't see myself sharing any time soon."

After giving Twilight a kiss on the cheek, I looked to Celestia again. While I felt I knew how she would answer, I still felt some apprehension, "Yes, well, um...there was something I wanted to ask regarding Twilight and I starting a relationship. I know there haven't been any negative feelings expressed or anything, but considering how weird everything is for me, I wanted to be certain there wasn't any displeasure over it."

Celestia gave a soft chuckle in reply and shook her head, "You needn't worry, Vojin. I am quite happy to see Twilight beginning this journey with you. I have worked hard to encourage the level of acceptance of diverse relations that Equestria enjoys today. It is also a good place to move onto why I wished to speak with the two of you. I don't suppose you have figured out the full reason behind giving you that medal?"

Even though I'd had suspicions that there were ulterior motives involved, I still lacked any real idea what they were. Glancing at Twilight, her expression said she had no ideas either and I looked back to Celestia with curiosity in my voice, "I had a feeling something more was going on, but I haven't come up with anything beyond the obvious of it is tradition when someone saves a princess or something like that."

The royal sisters shared a brief laugh, Luna speaking up this time, "Although that was of course an important factor, it is actually not the main reason we gave you that award. Celestia and I both felt it would be an excellent way in which we might introduce you to the rest of Equestria, in as positive a light as might be achieved without appearing to favor you for no reason. I expect you understand the potential for difficulty, when something as unknown as yourself could potentially cause unpleasant reactions borne out of fear of the unknown. As with most intelligent beings, such encounters do not always bring out the best initial responses. Our little ponies are no different in this."

Celestia continued, "While improbable, we took this action to preempt any potential issues. It is one of the many things we do, when unusual circumstances come up. All in the interest of reducing unknowns. If you can forgive our turning you into a minor celebrity that will be known across most of Equestria, you can take comfort in knowing the ponies you meet will be inclined to see you as a protector and feel safer around you as a result, regardless of being a seemingly mythical creature stepping out of ancient history."

I could only stare at them in disbelief. That they had done so much just to help make my unusual presence seen in a positive light. It was overwhelming and humbling, leaving me feeling a deep sense of gratitude.

Looking at the two of them, I gave them a smile of thanks, "I am honored that you've gone to such lengths to help me find acceptance here. I don't really know how to respond or what to say to it, to be honest. It's just...humbling."

Luna smiled with a small shake of her head, "Worry not. My sister and I agreed that unless something changes in the future, knowing you are presently unable to return to your own world, we will give you our blessing and accept you in full as one of our subjects. It is through that acceptance that we will endeavor to look after your well-being as much as that of anypony else."

As she was still holding me, I tightened my arm around Twilight as I began to sway back and forth a little, burying my face in the side of her neck and mane as it just became too much. So many things had happened in such a short time these past few days and I still had yet to find time to settle it all in my head. Twilight just held me in a gentle embrace as I trembled, a moment away from needing to just sit straight down on the floor, silent as I rode out the emotion washing over me.

When I felt the moment had passed, I lifted my head with a wide smile, soaking in the idea that I was given such welcome in a place so different from where I came from. It filled me with a tremendous gratitude as I smiled at the Princesses, "There aren't words enough to thank you, your highnesses. It's...far beyond anything I would have expected."

Celestia waved a dismissive hoof with a pleasant smile, "Think nothing of it, Vojin. You have done nothing but display good will and honorable intentions as you adjust to your circumstances of being stuck here in our world. In addition, your unusual connection with Twilight, to say nothing of beginning a relationship with her, gives me plenty of reason to take interest in you. Continue as you have and I am sure you will do well amongst us."

"And to hear you appreciate the beauty of the night as you do gives me great joy. I have a new reason to look forward to your recovery so you may join Celestia and myself in Canterlot as we have arranged. I expect we will have much to tell you," Luna added with a warm smile.

We were able to enjoy some light conversation for a bit longer. They were rather interested when I mentioned some of the things I brought with me from Earth, my smartphone in particular and asked if I might try writing down technology concepts when something came to mind. The idea that humans had created so much without magic, working within physical laws alone, could do much in Equestria. I agreed, thinking I could reference potential magical assists as I learned more in the course of my studies.

Celestia also said something to Twilight that left her blushing like mad as she gave a tiny nod with wide eyes, earning a rather devious grin from the Princess and leaving me a little worried about just what it could be about. I had to assume it was something regarding the intimate aspects of our budding romance.

Luna and I were able to trade a few words on how she approaches creating the night sky and that changes were a gradual process in most cases, even moving the stars on occasion when she felt it necessary. We arranged to do some stargazing when Twilight and I came up to Canterlot after I had recovered.

"Sadly, my friend, Celestia and I must now attend a meeting with the mayor before we depart for Canterlot once more. Our time spent aiding yourself and Twilight Sparkle as long as we did left us much to catch up on and we still have much to do. Do take care of yourself in your recovery. I would hate to think you might delay your coming to visit with me," Luna said with a sly smirk as she moved in for a warm embrace, being gentle this time.

"You don't have to worry about that, Luna. He already promised me that he'll tell me if he needs to stop for rest, even if we're just out for a walk," Twilight commented, giving me a somewhat smug smile as her cheeks gained a bit of color, making me think she was remembering just how she got that promise.

Luna raised a brow at Twilight's expression and the sheepish grin I was now wearing, "I have the distinct sense I should not ask how you procured such an oath."

Celestia let out a warm chuckle, "Well, just remember what I said, Twilight. I will, of course, like to know either way if my guess is true or not."

That made me quirk a brow, seeing Twilight's eyes widen with a faint gasp and blushing again, giving her mentor a stiff nod, "Um, I-I...I will, Celestia."

After looking between the two of them for a moment, I had to ask, "Uh...is this something I should be worrying about?"

Celestia let out a throaty laugh that only made me worry even more, "You will just have to wait and see when the time comes, Vojin."

"Sister, just what in Equestria are you on about?" Luna asked as she eyed her sister.

Luna's eyes widened as she began to blush when Celestia leaned over to whisper in her ear. I was expecting Twilight was under orders to keep it a secret. Even though I was certain it was a positive thing on some level, I still worried.

"Well it seems we will both be quite curious to know the result. I do think you could stand to behave yourself a little more, dear sister," Luna said with a smirk at Celestia and giving me no further clues as she flashed me a mischievous look.

Twilight touched my leg with a hoof, giving me a sheepish smile, "Sorry, Vojin. Until these things happen, I'm not going to talk about it. You will have to trust me that you'll be happy if most of them prove true. Maybe all of them will."

Rolling my eyes, I gave her a dry look with a resigned sigh and shook my head. I had no idea what the three of them just conspired about and they gave no hints beyond it was something the blush about. It put a few vague, somewhat naughty ideas in my head, but I really didn't have anything to go on.

With a light clearing of her throat, Celestia smiled, "Now then. Luna and I must be on our way. I hope you both enjoy the rest of the festivities that Miss Pie has put together. She was the one that alerted us to this party through Spike. It worked quite well with our plans to give you the commendation in a few days when we summoned you up to Canterlot, so we merely moved it up to today here in Ponyville. I continue to be impressed with the parties she manages to organize. For the time she had, it was remarkably swift."

"Please take care of yourselves, both of you. We will look forward to seeing you in Canterlot in a few weeks," Luna added.

"Thank you, your highnesses. I will certainly be interested in seeing Canterlot for the first time when we come up," I replied, giving them a short bow.

Twilight gave her mentor a goodbye hug with a bright smile, "It's always great to see you both. Hopefully, we can come up in a few weeks without anything else crazy happening."

The Princesses left to attend their duties while Twilight and I started heading back towards the town square to find Pinkie or another of our friends. Leave it to Pinkie to pop up right when she was needed, seeing her approaching us as if out of nowhere wearing a wide grin.

"Hey you two! I bet you were super duper surprised by the ceremony, huh? When Princess Celestia wrote about it and asked if we could set it up here in Ponyville, I was really, really happy to tell her it would be great to have it here as part of the party! It wasn't easy getting enough townsponies to help me keep you two from seeing the preparations, but they did it! And since I told Applejack not to feed you a full lunch, you'll have plenty of room for lots of yummy things at the buffet! The Princesses even sent me some royal catering staff to help out! Isn't that totally neato? I'm sure you're a little hungry by now so lets head towards the buffet first!" Pinkie was hopping around in front of us in that springy way she has.

"Wow, Pinkie. It's starting to sound like this is the biggest party you've ever thrown. How many ponies did you invite this time?" Twilight said.

"I invited EVERYPONY in Ponyville! Everypony in town is here and we have lots of reporters, too! There's also lots of Royal Guards helping everything go smoothly and the catering staff making sure everypony has all the tasty treats they could want! I told you it was gonna be a super duper mega awesome giant party, right?!" Pinkie went on, her enthusiasm didn't look like it was going to ebb anytime soon.

"Well it's certainly impressive, Pinkie. Uh, I'm not going to be swarmed by paparazzi or something, am I?" I asked her, remembering how the press was on Earth.

"Nopey dopey lopey! The Princesses gave the reporters a simple edict for the duration of the party, saying you'll spend some time talking to them and answering questions so long as they gave you and Twilight space. They knew you're still doing lots of healing and wanted to be sure you could enjoy yourself at this party for you and Twilight. I hope it's ok to talk with the press ponies later," Pinkie replied, continuing to hop along as she guided us towards the buffet area.

"I suppose I don't have much choice then. I wouldn't want to disappoint the Princesses after they were gracious enough to plan such a thing for me. Twilight, do you want to put up with silly, intrusive questions and nosy reporters after we eat?" I said as I turned to her, sighing with resignation.

She seemed about as thrilled at the idea as I was, her voice flat, "We might as well get it out of the way, rather than making them wait. I hope they don't ask anything too personal, but I'm not very optimistic about it."

We reached the buffet section and were happy to find a small spot designated just for us, thankful it was a bit separated from the throngs milling around the buffet. We even had a server that would retrieve our food for us so we could relax and not brave the crowd for now.

As we were both hungry, we were all too happy to make our requests and settle in for a meal. The catering was delicious and the buffet area had relaxed yet festive music playing.

Pinkie was only able to sit with us for a couple minutes before she had to run off to keep the party on the right track. Before she left, she gave us the necessary instructions and directions on where we would be meeting with the press ponies in a short while. It wasn't a fun prospect, but it was in part something that should be done out of respect for the Princesses after they were kind enough to ensure we would be left alone.

After a few minutes of enjoying our food, I gave Twilight a small smirk and nudge, "Is now a bad time to make it known I have a minor phobia of large crowds?"

Twilight gave me a sympathetic smile, "Yes, I suppose it's a little late for that. How are you feeling? With everything just since leaving AJ's farm, are you doing alright? You're not feeling too drained? I'd be happy to just go home and throw a shield up and tell everypony to go away if you need the rest."

Her desire to keep me from overworking myself was a little much, but reassuring all the same as I brushed her cheek with my fingertips and shook my head, "I can put up with the press in a bit. For the rest of the party, I can stop to rest when I need it. I'll be fine, though I expect I'll be sleeping quite deeply tonight."

She leaned into my touch and gave a warm smile, "Alright. Just remember, you promised to rest when you need it. I don't want you pushing yourself too much while you recover from being my hero."

After we had finished our food, we enjoyed some time to just sit and relax before we felt ready to face the press and get the meeting out of the way. Remembering Pinkie's instructions, we alerted one of the Guard that we were heading for the conference area. The stallion gave an acknowledgement and trotted off to alert the press ponies.

In a couple short minutes, we were approaching our side of the conference area, my fingers trailing against Twilight's mane for reassurance against my nervousness. There were a lot of reporters and other press types waiting for us. I just steeled myself a bit as we were about to step out in front of them. It wasn't going to take too long and Twilight would be right beside me.

The instant we stepped out onto the small stage where the table and chairs were waiting for us, cameras flashed in a flurry of blinding strobes that I suspected was going to remain near constant until we were done.

Once we were seated, Twilight took the lead as we planned. She had some training and practice at this due to her status as a princess. It didn't take long for her to get the gathered press to quiet down for the most part and she called on one for the first question.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle, I've heard you were saved by the hooman sitting next to you, but what suddenly made you unable to fly? Did you experience a seizure or other medical issue?"

Twilight was unphased, "No, it was not medical in nature, but a magic-related issue. Due to the circumstances involved, I cannot explain further at this time."

She indicated another reporter that stood before speaking, "Princess Sparkle, there are rumors going around that you were seen using magic during the most recent Equestria Games in the Crystal Empire. Were you possibly helping Ponyville in secret so your hometown could win the medal count?"

Twilight gave a dark growl and the reporter flinched, "I most certainly did not! Any reasonably trained unicorn could have cast a standard truth discovery spell at the stadium and get the answer directly! If you're going to be that rude, I can always ask the guards to escort you to the train station."

Seeing her handle that so well gave me a small feeling of pride, then being surprised when the next reporter Twilight called directed their question at me, "Mister...Vojin, is it? There is some information around saying you're from another world but little on how you got here. Are you going to be safe around the common pony now that you're here and will you be dining frequently on meat like some of the legends about humans say?"

I blinked as my hopes of simple questions were dashed, knowing that was not a simple yes or no, sensing this meeting would be longer than anticipated, "The world I came from is called Earth, so you all can have that accurate. I'm not really aware of how exactly I wound up here, but as I demonstrated through action already in the act of protecting Princess Twilight, I have only good intentions and the heart of a protector. I have no ill will towards any ponies and have been loving my time in Equestria so far. As for the second part, I rarely ate meat on Earth and now that I am here among ponies, I have no further interest in such. As humans are fully omnivorous and particularly flexible in our diet, I can eat most of the same things as a pony and enjoy good health with a balance of nutrition. So to be clear, I have neither need, nor desire, to eat meat and shall enjoy exploring Equestrian cuisine as I adjust to being here among you."

Twilight nudged me with a small approving smile.

Aside from some occasional irritating and a couple off the wall questions, things were not too bad. There were some surprised expressions when I commented that Earth had no viable access to magic, but humans had done some impressive things with technology. They were also a bit surprised that humans were alone on Earth, for all practical purposes of interspecies interaction. Once the got warmed up with me, most of the questions directed at me.

With an occasional whisper to each other now and then, Twilight and I got to a point when we decided to bring things towards a close. The gathered press appeared satisfied for the most part, even if they had the potential to continue all week if given the chance. The intensity had waned as their most pressing stuff was dealt with. Compared to what I remembered seeing from press on Earth, it didn't feel too bad. Still something I hoped would stay rare for me.

Of course, Murphy chose to visit as soon as we decided to begin wrapping things up, as the very next question threw us for a loop, "Princess, there's a rumor floating around that yourself and Mister Vojin have started dating. Is this true?"

It was at that moment I remembered how people reacted to the British royals and their love lives, a sinking feeling settling in my stomach at the thought. Twilight got a short acknowledgement from me and made a response, "Yes, we have decided to start dating. As it is a matter between myself and Vojin, you will have to forgive me saying much about the subject."

Another question came, "Mister Vojin, you just arrived from your world of Earth and now you're dating one of our Princesses. Are you possibly trying to get special treatment from the diarchy? Favors and status, perhaps?"

I quirked a brow at the pony that asked the rather ludicrous question, "Well, considering the fact that before I arrived in Equestria, without warning, choice or intention, not to mention I never even knew your world was even here to find prior to my arrival, do you honestly think I could have been planning some elaborate scheme to get into the good graces of the Royal Sisters? While they have been very gracious because of my unusual circumstances, I am just trying to figure out which end is up in my life right now, nor do I even want any kind of status in the first place."

Twilight let a faint laugh escape before she called for the next question, "Princess Twilight Sparkle, do you think it possible that Mister Vojin came to your rescue just so he could get close with a royal for personal gain?"

A feeling of unamused exasperation drifted through my mind at the turn the questions were making, touching Twilight's hoof to draw her attention before she could respond, getting a nod when I asked to deal with this one, turning my bemused gaze to the reporter, "You do remember that I was severely injured, as well as required two separate surgeries, as a result of coming to her aid, don't you? You should also know that due to the many unknowns of my unknown physiology, alongside a temporary restriction where magic being used on me was a very serious potential risk, they were unable to administer very much anesthesia prior to performing reconstructive surgery on the muscle in my left shoulder.

"I want you to think about that for a second. I was forced to undergo surgery while wide awake and had almost nothing to dull the experience. If you ever fully comprehend or experience something of that nature and still consider your question to contain any sort of reason, I believe most will think some part of your brain has malfunctioned.

"Saving Princess Twilight was the right thing to do and it was done in the heat of the moment in an emergency. Besides, who in their right mind, that can't fly by the way, would jump off a treetop balcony, catch the full momentum of a falling pony straight to the chest, proceed to crash through multiple tree branches, and then enjoy a wonderfully hard landing on the stone roadway below if they were looking for personal gain?"

At least that particular journalist had the grace to wince and look apologetic at my response.

I was thankful we were just a few questions away from being done with this mess as Twilight selected the next one, a stallion, "Princess Twilight, is it possible you might have some ulterior motives in dating Mister Vojin? Is it possible you're taking advantage of him when he has nothing and secretly manipulating his emotions to keep him dependent on you? Even a saddle blanket?"

Something came over me when I heard that as I directed a harsh glare at the stallion, watching him shrink back in fear as the gathered press went deathly silent. A fury ignited inside me as I somehow seemed to will a heavy, dangerous weight into the very air. My awareness of things around me dimmed as I locked onto the stallion, only a detached awareness catching Twilight trying to get my attention as the haze began to fade back out again.

Twilight was squeezing and even shaking my hand a little, speaking in urgent whispers as she tried to get my attention, "Vojin, calm down. It was just a rude question. You know how I feel about you. Please calm down."

Turning my head to look at her with a slow blink, I saw no small amount of worry in her eyes. As she hadn't seen me get angry yet, I supposed it was understandable. I let out a controlled exhale before leaning close to touch my forehead to hers, needing to forget the ponies watching us for a moment as I let her presence soothe me.

I whispered back to her, "I'm sorry, Twilight. I've always had something of a temper when someone insults my lady with such a blatant shot at her integrity or honor. It makes me...furiously protective, as you just saw."

She gave me a sweet nuzzle and a small smile, "It's alright. I'm honored you're so willing to protect me at a moment's notice. You know it was most likely just an attempt at getting an outburst for the gossip pages."

Sitting back up and facing the press again, we kept hand and hoof under the table. A moment's consideration, I whispered to Twilight that I better say something after my display of anger and she nodded, a gentle squeeze of my hand as part of her reply.

"Ahem. You will all have to forgive my getting so excited as I just did. I suppose this is a good point for me to point out that I am very protective of Princess Twilight. I have already risked my life to save her. Now, as you just found out, insinuating she would be conniving, manipulative, or other negative things will earn a rather..._displeased..._response from me. I will not stand aside when someone dares question her honor or integrity, and I will not be very nice about showing those that do the error of their ways. I will say it in no uncertain terms, I have fallen in love with Princess Twilight and will fiercely protect her in all ways. Please keep this in mind, should any more of you feel the need to ask bad questions again," I stated in a low tone, the whole time keeping a small, very dark smile directed at the offending stallion, my eyes boring into him like I was hunting prey and seeing him gulp, looking like he was on the verge of bolting.

The energy from the press was much more subdued after that, noticing they were shying away from their offending colleague. Twilight asked for the next question.

"Princess, now that Mister Vojin has just openly stated that he is in love with you, I am...curious what your feelings towards him are. Is it mutual? If so, when is the wedding?"

The sudden, sharp jump in subject matter made my brain do flip flops. A glance at Twilight told me she was a bit thrown as well. At least it was jumping to happier things. Still, we had just started dating. And now we get a question about when we were getting married?

Twilight was now wearing a rather adorable blush along with a bashful smile that seemed to increase the number of flashbulbs going off just from that, "I suppose I can say it out loud at this point, Yes, I have found myself loving Vojin just as much as he loves me, irrespective of the rather short time we have had together. Maybe we're just lucky enough to have a storybook kind of romance, I can't really say just yet. It's also way too soon for us to be thinking about getting married! Just the past few days have been full of crazy events and we really just want time to enjoy each other's company for right now."

Giving her hoof a supportive squeeze, I was unable to think of anything to say before she picked one more question, "Princess Twilight. Mister Vojin. Can you tell us how many foals you intend to have together and when?"

Both of us turned a bit red at that, glancing at each other in surprise while an even faster flurry of flashbulbs went off. Neither of us had any inclination to comment we were waiting on full intimacy while we enjoyed our time together and not quite sure how to respond. Twilight managed a halting suggestion to refer to the previous question and answer before we slipped away from the stage.

As we started walking away, my head was spinning from all the different things that happened. Part of me realized on some level that these things were sometimes going to be unavoidable part of being with Twilight, due to her royal status. I was glad we had the remainder of the afternoon to relax together now.

Twilight drew me over to a bench and we sat down together. My arm slipped around her back while she did the same with a wing around me, my voice a bit incredulous, "I can't believe how that ended."

Grumbling, she leaned closer as she snuggled into me, "At least it's over with. Ever since I became a princess, dealing with the press has continued to be the single most frustrating part of my duties. It would be so nice if I could have just one press conference with only respectful, pleasant questions. I still haven't quite figured out how Celestia manages it as elegantly as she does every time, no matter what they ask her."

I smirked and barked a faint laugh, "Probably something to do with a few thousand years of practice. Let's just forget about it now. We have the rest of the day to ourselves, though I do feel kinda drained right now. Do you mind if we sit here for a while?"

"Not at all." Twilight replied, nuzzling against me some more.

The two of us watched the crowd passing us by. I noticed we drew some odd looks, but even more smiles. Ambient noise aside, it was a rather peaceful spot set back from the walking traffic and we relaxed from the mess we just put up with.

It was a few minutes of quiet together on the bench before Twilight nuzzled me, her voice calm and content, "Vojin, when you had that flash of protective anger, did you notice what your magic did?"

Having not expected the question, I blinked. I had no recollection of magic use at all, shaking my head as I met her eyes.

"I've never seen anything quite like it. Out of nowhere, you seemed to radiate a faint bit of magical power. It was really subtle and unless somepony with enough skill was specifically looking for it, I don't think anypony would have noticed if they weren't right next to you like I was. It was like you were creating more magical strength from within, somehow, as you caused that ominous, threatening feel in the air," Twilight added, sounding intrigued and a little concerned, "As far as I know, there is no mention in any of my studies where a unicorn, or any other magic using creature, began creating magical strength inside themselves without pulling from some outside source in the immediate area. In a sense, it was like you were preparing for battle. If I hadn't witnessed it myself, I think I would have brushed it off as impossible."

"Is it a bad thing I should worry about?" I asked with an apprehensive look.

She shook her head with a warm smile, "No, not a bad thing at all. It's just very unique. I'm sure the energy came from somewhere and we can study it more later. Maybe even figure out what it means for you."

"At some point, sure, but let's put that aside for a while. I have a lot to learn right now anyway and I'd like to keep it between us for now, if that's alright? And, uh, you...you weren't scared when I got angry, were you?" I said as I felt myself starting to tense from a long entrenched, deep-rooted fear.

For her part, rather than respond with words, Twilight gave me a very loving kiss that lasted several seconds before she pulled back to look at me, giving a small shake of her head and a tender smile.

The tension that had been building seemed to all but vanish again as I looked into her eyes, a weak smile creeping onto my face. Pulling her closer, I nuzzled along her cheek and over the side of her neck and mane, hiding my face as I breathed in her scent as we held each other.

My voice was a bit muffled from my position, though it didn't cover the pain in my voice, "It's...one of the things I've always feared most, Twilight. Becoming frightening to the lady I found love with. I used to have a hard time keeping calm whenever I saw someone being hurt or mistreated. Sometimes it got me into fights when someone wouldn't back off when I stepped in.

"What came to bother me the most about it was when I got rid of the aggressor, I often found the person I tried to protect looking at me with some amount of fear in their eyes. The way it usually went, the more difficult it was to protect someone...the more frightened they were of me after I did.

"Somewhere along the way, it sank into my mind that I might fall in love with a girl and something would happen to cause her to wind up terrified of me. I tried dating after that, but eventually it grew into so big a worry in my head that I gave up. I hope you understand just how grateful I am that you saw me like that, even just a little, and didn't start feeling afraid of me..."

Twilight was quiet as she listened, squeezing me tighter with her wing when she felt my tears wetting her fur. Something about her kept leaving me so open, kept driving me to lay myself bare before her with nothing held back. Yet as vulnerable as I felt, I also had a great deal of relief that she had no hesitation even though I'd shown some of that which made me afraid to get close to anyone in a romantic sense. Now I was being held as it came out of me, releasing much of the heartache I'd carried for years.

When she sensed I was calm again, she spoke with gentle words, "You don't need to worry. Everything you do makes me want to put more faith in you, Vojin. Thank you for letting me know something that bothers you this much. While we haven't had much time together yet, I have sometimes felt afraid for you, but I can't see ever being afraid of you. I'm even more sure of that now. And to be honest, with how everything feels already, I really hope we do get married eventually. You're filling a part of me I didn't know was empty before and I don't think I could ever be completely happy again without you here with me."

That caused a small laugh to escape as I pulled back with a faint sniffle, giving her a grateful smile. Twilight leaned in and gave me a peck on the lips, looking into my eyes wearing a happy expression.

***

We went wandering when we were ready, running into Pinkie before long and she was happy to escort us around the massive party for a time. It was a sprawling affair, taking up all of town square and stretching a bit into some of the streets. Somehow, Pinkie even had arrangements with many of the businesses to include some of their services in some kind of complex trading system I couldn't quite figure out when she explained it. After the large stage had been taken down, more parts of the party had sprung up into place.

To my surprise, Pinkie was also running some charity fundraising on the side and it had all turned into an impromptu festival day. She let us know we had the freedom to enjoy everything at our leisure.

Twilight and I enjoyed a number of carnival games, though I found my ability to be accurate was non-existent at present. We came across the girls a few times as we went around. Rainbow and Applejack often together, competing with each other at carnival games. We found Rarity and Fluttershy relaxing out of the way at one point, doing some pony watching, and had a nice conversation that gave me a some insights into pony society.

I almost couldn't believe my eyes when I ran across Flim and Flam running a booth, somewhat boggled how they got involved on such short notice. Working with Twilight after I made the suggestion, we got them to give a Pinkie Promise to be honest before they realized it. Pinkie had appeared a moment later, giggling as she patted her party cannon as she promised to keep a close eye on them. It was funny to see the two of them blanch when they caught on to their predicament.

After a time, we headed back to the buffet for a longer rest with dinner. It was obvious by sunset that even with us stopping to sit for a while on a regular basis, I was still wearing down. Twilight prodded me with greater frequency about telling her when I needed to go home to get some proper rest. I waved her off a little longer, wanting to take in some of the evening atmosphere.

Overall, the day was fun, even if I was exhausted. There came a point that Twilight was no longer convinced I'd be fine if we just sat a little longer and declared it was time to go home before we headed back to the library. The simple act of stepping through the door somehow managed to cast off a portion of my weariness. Breathing in the scent of old books and older wood was relaxing deep down.

I was trying to avoid leaning against the wall as we headed up the stairs, refusing to admit how I felt after the day we'd had, "Did you want to spend some time reading this evening?"

Twilight looked over her shoulder with a mock glare, then a soft smile came out, "You're completely exhausted. No matter how much you deny it, Vojin. The only thing we're doing is getting ready for bed. I can always bring a book to bed if I want to do some reading."

Giving a faint snort and a smirk, I didn't argue.

It wasn't long before we stepped into the shower together, reveling in the closeness we shared with a long embrace under the running water before going through the routine of cleaning. We still made a few teases and warmed each other up, but most of it was low key as we washed each other.

Once we settled ourselves under the covers, earlier than usual, Twilight snuggled against me like before. Sleep was far from our minds though, our minds were running on their own still.

Twilight nuzzled my chest before she spoke quiet enough it was almost a whisper, "Vojin, will you always be with me? Always be my protector?"

There was something that stood out in her words, telling me she had something more specific going through her mind as I replied, trying to be soothing, "Count on it. So long as I am capable, I will always be here for you. What's on your mind?"

"I...," she began, tracing random patterns on my stomach with her hoof, "I keep thinking about when you were telling me about how much afraid you are of making the one you love afraid of you. I can't stop thinking about something I worry about sometimes."

I gave her a gentle squeeze, "You listened to me when I opened up earlier. If you feel the need to share your thoughts with me, I can do the listening this time."

She was silent for a while, sensing she was just trying to work herself up to it, so I was patient. I knew she would find her voice when she was ready to tell me whatever it was that was bothering her this much. I made gentle caresses with my hand along her side, keeping enough presence of mind to stay away from her wing.

Twilight took minutes before she at last sniffled and squeezed me tighter, her voice tight and trembling, "You already know how my friends and I have rescued Equestria several times in the past. I...I-I worry...the situations are becoming, well, more dangerous over time. I don't know what I'd do if one of the girls ends up badly hurt or worse. For all the things we've managed to do, sometimes it just feels like we're only playing around at being champions for Equestria. That we're only scraping by on borrowed time that is just a moment from running out. Just the mere thought of losing one of my friends is...i-is..."

She then began to cry, faint and slow at first as her ability to speak vanished, clinging tighter to me as it rose within her. It wasn't an unreasonable fear. Twilight and her friends had overcome so many trials, often with nary a scratch to show for it. The very clear and present reality of having their luck give way the next second to injury or worse wasn't unfounded after all they had been through together.

One ill-timed stumble and one of them could have been eaten by the hydra they once outran. All of them could have been killed in that landslide when they were heading up the mountain to get a sleeping dragon to nap elsewhere. Their experiences with timber wolves, chimeras, ursas, cragodiles, manticores, cockatrices, and all the things they had gotten past could have gone horribly wrong in the blink of an eye.

Twilight cried for a while, quivering and trembling as she let out a long buildup of worry for the friends she treasured so much. At times, she grew into quiet heart-wrenching sobs and others she let out nothing more than small whimpers. The entire time, I held her close, feeling her flowing tears gather on my chest enough to run over my sides from time to time.

By the time she found the end of what she had to let out, even I had tears in my eyes for all the hurting she released. With how strong she always tried to be, adorable panic attacks aside, she seemed to have kept how deep this ran even from herself. Her chest hitching after she at last went quiet, Twilight didn't move as she clung to me with the odd sniffle.

It was another few minutes before she found her voice again, her hoof rubbing my stomach with a tender touch, "Th-Thank you f-for listening. I didn't know I-I needed t-to cry so m-much."

I raised my head enough to place a kiss on top of her head, knowing words weren't necessary in the moment we were sharing. It was a safe place to let go of her burden for a while, safe enough she could be vulnerable as she released something deep. Such a simple, precious thing to do for someone really, but so very difficult to be accepted as safe enough for someone to stop hiding.

So we lay there together in silence, content in knowing I was her safe place as much as she had become mine. I had to wonder again at how much was compatability and how much was the product of our link. I didn't feel much need to question how Twilight and I had gotten this far so fast. It occurred to me that it didn't really matter in the end, and before long it would be not at all, thanks to the inexorable passage of time.

Twilight raised herself up after a point, going through a round of tissues and nose blowing. When she looked at the wet state she'd left my chest in, she got teary-eyed again but otherwise seemed cried out. With a few more tissues floated over, she dried me off with a very gentle touch of her hoof.

Once my chest was dry and she was able to clean up her face again, she gave me a radiant smile of thanks that left me feeling like my chest couldn't contain the swelling of my heart. Then she leaned in and gave me a very light, yet very powerful kiss with a hoof touching my cheek.

Her head drifted back down to my chest as she cuddled up close as she could be again, myself feeling the exhaustion of the day catching up to me at last. Perhaps part of me knew Twilight needed my attention before we went to sleep.

In the hazy minutes we shared before slipping into slumber, Spike had come in bidding us both goodnight before crawling into his own basket bed not far from us. At some point soon I realized, we'd have to get him moved into the spare room.

There was a new sense of warmth between Twilight and I. Something different from body heat or presence. Whatever it was that could define that particular warmth was irrelevant though as the two of us hovered at the edge of sleep.

With almost embarrassing synchronicity, we moved our heads at the same time and moved in for a deep but short kiss, whispering how much we loved each other. We settled back down and let sleep carry us away.